Crockpot Chicken Tacos

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• A chopped onion (optional)
• A chopped green pepper (optional)
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 16 ounces salsa (that’s 2 cups if you’re using a larger bottle).
• Flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or taco shells

Toppings: your choice of lettuce, sour cream, grated cheese, tomatoes, salsa, diced purple onions, olives, guacamole, etc.

Put the chicken in a Crockpot. Add the onion and pepper if you want. Mix the seasoning with salsa and pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. The chicken is done when it can be shredded easily with a fork.Lift the chicken out and shred it with a fork.
Serve with soft flour tortillas, a spoonful of the veggies if you used them (lift them with a slotted spoon to drain out excess liquid), and your favorite toppings.

Tips:

•  Use leftover chicken to make tortilla soup. Combine chicken taco meat with 32 ounces of chicken broth, 1 can of mild Ro-Tel tomatoes, 1 can of corn or 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 2 tablespoons of chopped, fresh cilantro. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve with crumbled tortilla chips and shredded cheese.
•  Try this chicken to fill enchiladas or quesadillas or top a taco salad or make super-quick and healthy nachos by layering tortilla chips, black beans, chicken, salsa, onions (green or diced purple), cheddar cheese, sour cream and guacamole.
•  Add this chicken to beans and, rice and use it for burritos.
• If you are on a budget, substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs. One and a half thighs are approximately equal to one chicken breast, or two thighs if they are small.
• Use the salsa water that’s leftover in the crockpot to make rice. You can make about 2 cups of rice to have as a side dish or put on your tacos

 

Chicken with Sesame Noodles

I have been able to cook dinner two days in a row now and they tasted good too… I’m beginning to be able to understand the pain more and can feel it coming. So I’m able to shorten the episodes by ignore it until I can rest. Still no pain meds and that’s fine by me, I need my mind clear to be myself. When I start asking for meds It’s just the delirium, don’t give them to me!

Enjoy the recipe I made tonight.

Sesame Noodles:

• 1 lb wheat Chinese Noodles (thin and long)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced, (the whole thing)
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Chicken:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 TBS sesame oil, for sautéing

Chicken: In a bowl mix the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, garlic, brown sugar and the ginger. Make sure the sugar has pretty much dissolved. Add the chicken, making sure it’s all coated with the sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. If your chicken is still a bit frozen, do not worry, it will continue to thaw out while marinading in the fridge.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, and toss out the marinade left at the bottom of the bowl. Slice chicken into bite-sized cubes
Heat the sesame oil in a large non-stick pan or wok. Add the chicken and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until done.

To make the sesame noodles: Cook the noodles according to package directions. Rinse in cold water (Don’t forget this step) and drain really well. Add noodles to the chicken in the wok, turn heat to medium. Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil and the sugar. Stir until well blended and the sugar has dissolved. Pour this over the noodles and chicken. Toss with scallions and stir with tongs to coat. Transfer all to a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Serve with steamed broccoli placed around each dish.

 

Fresh Chicken Patties

I had a pack of chicken in the fridge waiting to be cooked and I thought, how can I do these breasts differently then I always do. This recipe is the result! They were delicious. I served them on Tapioca buns.

Chef Tips: If you don’t want large chunks of green pepper showing, pre-chop it and pre-slice the chicken breasts for easier grinding. After you assemble the patties they will feel like a paste, to firm them up before frying, place them on a plastic wrapped plate and put them into the freezer for a couple minutes. They will transfer to the pan much easier this way. Enjoy!

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (uncooked)
• 1 green pepper
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
• 1 egg

Slice 4-6 put skinless, boneless chicken breasts and put them into a food processor with one sliced green pepper, 1 loosely packed cup of fresh spinach leaves, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp sea salt, and 1 egg. Set possessor to high and blend until all chicken is ground well.  Then make chicken patties with ground chicken mix, adding them to a skillet with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil. Brown both sides, then add one TBS water, cover, and steam them until they are actually cooked all the way through.

Serve on buns.

 

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Making a fresh stock in the morning made this soup beyond wonderful!  Enjoy friends.

 

• 8 cups chicken stock (fresh or canned)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups of carrots diced
• 3 celery ribs diced
• 2 tsp chicken bouillon
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme or basil
• 1 1/2 cup cooked chicken diced (You can use canned chicken)

Sauté onions in olive oil until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic & cook for 30 seconds. Add broth & the remainder of ingredients. Cook over medium low heat for 1-2 hours.

Dumplings

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 6 TBS butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk

Combine all your dry ingredients then cut in the butter. Next stir in the egg and milk. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Cut into 1 inch squares. Add to your soup one at a time and simmer for the last 5 minutes of soup cooking time.

 

Chicken and Kielbasa Couscous

 

• 1/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 6 ounces fully cooked kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced into ½-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 1/3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 medium green pepper, cut into strips
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 TBS cornstarch

Rinse chicken, pat dry.  Cut into bite-size strips and set aside.
In a 10-inch skillet cook and stir kielbasa, celery, carrots over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until kielbasa is browned.

Reduce heat, cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more or until carrots are nearly tender.  Drain off fat.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring the 1 1/3 cups broth to boiling.  Stir in couscous; cover remove from heat.  Let stand while preparing meat and vegetable mixture.

Add chicken and green pepper to skillet, cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Combine the 1 cup broth and cornstarch, stir into skillet.

Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, then cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Fluff couscous with a fork.  Serve chicken mixture over couscous.  Makes 4 servings.

 

Week 34 Menu

Friday

Left-Overs / Clean Out Fridge

Saturday

Chicken and Kielbasa Couscous with Side Salad

Sunday

Beef and Broccoli Ramen Bowl

Monday

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta with Side Salad

Tuesday

Philly Cheese Steaks with Home-Made Chips

Wednesday

Chicken and Dumpling Soup with Home-Made Whole Wheat Bread

Thursday

Spinach Stuffed Jumbo Shells

 

Glazed Salmon & Sweet Potato Fries

A healthy way to enjoy a comforting classic favorite; Fish n Chips.

 

 

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 chili powder
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 4 skinless salmon fillets (5-6 ounces each)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro sprigs

Preheat broiler. In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Cut sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place on the greased rack of a broiler pan. Coat sweet potatoes with cooking spray and sprinkle with half the spice mixture. Broil 10 minutes, turning once halfway though.
Rinse and dry salmon; coat with remaining spice mixture. In a large skillet, cook fish in hot olive oil over medium heat for 4 minutes per side, or until it flakes easily with a fork.
Sprinkle sweet potatoes and salmon with cilantro before serving.

(Recipe from fitnessmagazine.com)

 

Sesame Noodles with Grilled Chicken

Keep it light and simple today my friends!

 

Noodles:

• 1 lb spaghetti
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup or more sesame seeds (optional)

Chicken:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• sesame oil

Noodles:
Prepare spaghetti according to package directions; drain. In a jar, shake together the soy sauce, oil & sugar. Pour over pasta & toss with remaining ingredients.

Chicken:
Mix marinade ingredients and toss with chicken. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken in batches. Sauté 10 mins or so until done, add in more oil as needed. Remove from pan and cool slightly. Slice on the diagonal into thin strips. Keep warm. Serve chicken over sesame noodles.

 

Lemony Fusilli Chicken Dish

 

• 3 teaspoons salt
• 8 ounces whole wheat fusilli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 slender zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
• 5 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 lemon, rind peeled in strips
• Small pinch red pepper flakes
• 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 5 large basil leaves, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional)

Cook fusilli until al dente.
Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the zucchini, scallions, pine nuts, lemon peel, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; cook, tossing frequently, until zucchini is well browned and tender, about 5 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer zucchini to a serving bowl. Remove lemon peel from pan. Mince 1/2 teaspoon of the peel and discard the rest. Squeeze half the lemon over the zucchini.
Turn heat to medium-high and swirl in remaining olive oil. Add the chicken, minced lemon peel, and remaining salt; cook, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes.
Drain fusilli, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add fusilli, zucchini, and reserved cooking water to skillet. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and top with the basil and Parmesan.

(Recipe from fitnessmagazine.com)

 

Sweet & Sour Chicken

• 1 frying chicken, cut up (I watched this YouTube to learn how)
• 1 tbsp. melted butter
• Dash of salt, pepper, ginger
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 can pineapple (chunk)
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 red pepper (optional)

Rinse chicken, place skin side up in oiled pan. Pour melted butter over chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, ginger, diced celery. Bake chicken at 350° for 30-35 minutes (until almost done). Drain pineapple juice into cup. Blend in brown sugar, water, soy sauce, vinegar, corn starch. Pour mixture over chicken in pan. Top with pineapple chunks and pepper. Place all back into the oven for five-seven more minutes. Serve over rice or fresh chopped lettuce.